Via Wikicommons Good morning. And Happy Easter. I say ‘Happy Easter’ because the Church is still journeying through the season of Easter, fifty days of celebrating and meditating on what Christ’s resurrection means for our hurting and broken world. Very often, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, the images and hymns that depict Christ’s resurrection use the language of God’s victory over the forces of both darkness and death. And yes, those two things are frequently paired. One folksy hymn goes, “Up from the grave he rose / a mighty triumph over his foes / arose a victor over the dark domain / Christ lives forever with his saints to reign .” In song and image, then, we oftentimes hear of the resurrected Christ as a heavenly King and all-powerful Ruler, a victor and conqueror who has forever vanquished darkness and death, and who now austerely rules while seated upon his heavenly throne. These are undoubtedly ancient and powerful ways of talking about God and the Resurrection. Just look at ...
Reflections on the role and history of money in Christianity from the first to the fifth centuries